Mid April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 14, 2024

Not much has changed since the last report as a trickle of fresh fish move up the rivers as others spawn, while those that already have drop back to the lake.

We have had some rainfall but not as much as we were hoping for to really test the hypothesis that there are a bunch of steelhead ready to migrate once conditions ripened with warmer, higher and dirtier water. Temps on the Manistee are mid to upper 40s while the Betsie is hovering around 50 degrees.

While the Manistee hasn’t yet had the push of suckers to swim upstream, the Betsie has a lot of them below the old Homestead dam site. These help as indicators of the steelhead run. Typically (and this no typical year) a second, smaller run of steelhead occurs after the sucker run on both rivers.

Successful patterns have been smaller eggs, small caddis, fry and small black stones, however, the latter are starting to diminish in density when hatches do occur which should reduce the pattern’s effectiveness going forward. With water temperatures what they are, it isn’t a bad time to swing a small streamer looking for aggressive fish headed upstream or one putting some weight back on as they return to the lake.

Good luck.

Ted

Trout Season – Mid-May into July offers some of the best match-the-hatch dry fly fishing of the season.
Learn To Fly Fish – 1/2 Day trips are perfect for beginners! Learn how to cast before hitting the water to fish.
2024 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water this year. Booking all seasons/species.

Betsie, black stoneflies, caddis, fishing, fishing report, learn to fly fish, manistee river, steelhead, tippy dam, traverse city fly fishing

April Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 7, 2024

Steelhead fishing on the Manistee and Betsie Rivers has been slower than normal for this time of year.

While we have received some rain events over the past two weeks, the fish haven’t showed up in significant numbers, but rather just a trickle of fresh fish. Because the land is dry (lack of snow pack, swamps half-filled, dry ground) the river levels only come up briefly before returning to low and clear conditions. Migratory steelhead like to ascend rivers when the water is up and dirty. I asked a customer who has fished with me each Spring the past 16 years when the last time he saw the river this clear, this time of year and he replied, “never”.

The lack of rain in the forecast likely means the low water and low fish numbers will continue until more water comes. The absence of other species in the river that also migrate upstream this time of year haven’t shown up in numbers either and that gives us faith that there are still more steelhead to come.

With the clear conditions, the same flies from previous weeks seem to be working better than others – small, natural egg patterns, small black stones, small green caddis and fry patterns.

Good luck.

Ted

black stoneflies, fishing report, fly fishing, fry patterns, manistee river steelhead fishing, steelhead, tippy dam

“Winter” Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - February 15, 2023

It sure has been a see-saw winter with plenty of ups and downs, dramatic shifts in weather and, well, not much snow on the ground. The past week we had an unusual string few of sunny days and that really knocked out any snow that was lingering. Don’t worry, more is in the forecast.

A lot of the snowmelt has gone into the unfrozen ground which helps keep the rivers in check. It also refills a water table to assist with maintaining cooler temps later in the year when we focus on trout. But with recent rains the water levels should bump up and create some movement of steelhead in the local rivers like the Manistee and Betsie.

After months of being poked, pushed, pressured, and thankfully released, the steelhead that entered in the fall and have been around since, like to move when we get these hints of spring-like weather. Look for them to stage near spawning gravel so when ideal conditions occur (water above 40 degrees) they can get down to business and back to the lake. The longer days, too, help let fish in the lake know they should think about getting closer to river mouths and get ready for a swim.

Water temperatures are still in the mid 30’s so the slow, drag-free drift is the most effective approach. But rather than focus only on deep holes, look for tail-outs on the softer side of bubble lines to give up some fish, too, as they shuffle and ascend river systems.

This time of year a tandem rig of a nymph and egg is a staple. Look for the first of the little black stoneflies crawling around or fluttering on the water on those days that the sun helps warm things up. Hex nymphs and caddis are perennial favorites, too. Egg color and size are dictated by water clarity and sunlight – dirty water, a little bigger and bolder, clearer water – the opposite.

Good luck.

Ted

2023 Fishing – Get your dates secured to ensure your time on the water. Booking all seasons.
Trout – May’s streamer & dry fly fishing turns to the big bugs of June. Good dates to choose from.
Fall Steelhead – Just a few prime steelhead dates remain available in 2023 – finish the fishing season strong.

betsie river, black stoneflies, caddis patterns for steelhead, fishing guide manistee, fishing report, hex nymph for steelhead, manistee river steelhead, spring steelhead fishing, traverse city fly fishing, trout fishing, winter steelhead fishing

April Steelhead Fishing Report – Manistee and Betsie Rivers

Posted by Ted Kraimer - April 8, 2017

Despite rain and some fluctuations in the water and weather, the steelhead fishing was a little slower than the previous weeks on the Manistee and Betsie rivers. While we are still catching fish, we are working harder and finding fewer – especially on those sunny days that tend to be more crowded.

The steelhead that either held-over since fall or trickled into the river through winter had provided a nice surplus of fish to play with but once the water stayed in the 40s, they hit the gravel and returned back to the lake. Except for those fish that ended up on a stringer. Keep in mind and spread the word – these fish can return multiple years if we let them; harvesting fish simply reduces the quality of our steelhead fishery in respect to both the size of fish and the number of them.

Water levels are up a bit, but not out of character for this time of year. With water temps in the 40s we are seeing more stoneflies on the warmer days and the natural sized egg patterns in realistic colors have increased in effectiveness. Other egg patterns that have been working include: clown eggs, rag eggs in Sockeye/Dark Roe and Golden Nugget Bling/Burnt Orange. Nymphs: Green Caddis, R2D2 Stones, Small Black Stones and fry patterns.

With water temps rising, it’s time to start thinking about trout as an alternative to steelhead fishing. The next two months can be some of the best streamer fishing for brown trout on local rivers.

The MI-DNR has released their trout “management” plan and are seeking comments – if interested, you can read by clicking here.

Good luck.

Ted

May Fishing – Trout, late steelhead, hatches, streamer fishing, bluegill on lakes – don’t overlook fishing in May.
Trout – The hatches of late May lead into June making for some of the year’s best dry fly fishing – don’t miss out.
2017 Fishing – Plan your year around your fishing – get your dates on the calendar, life will fit in around it.

betsie river, black stone fly pattern, black stoneflies, fonzi fry, fry patterns, green caddis for steelhead, MI_DNR, steelhead, steelhead fishing, steelhead flies, tippy dam

March Steelhead Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 7, 2016

With the arrival of March, so came the warmer temperatures and sunshine. After months of weekly snow and thaw cycles we are starting the spring steelhead season with a lot less snow on the ground than normal. Water levels are up a bit from where they typically are this time of year and water temps are still in the mid 30s on the Manistee below Tippy Dam and upper 30s on the Betsie river. As the sun comes out, look for the water to warm as the day progresses and the fish to become more active.

The fall steelhead were late making their way upstream, but when they did in late Nov. and into December, they weren’t overly pressured. Look for those fish that wintered over to be hanging out in the deeper holes and just off the bubble lines/seams in the slack water. With longer days and sunlight, more fish should start to congregate at river mouths and with increasing frequency and start their migration. Any warm rain along the way will only intensify the migration. I am guessing that because of the lack of snow pack, the spring steelhead season will be long and drawn out, unless we get substantial rainfall which often creates a burst of fish in the resulting high water.

With the sunshine, keep an eye on any remaining snow along the riverbank for little black stoneflies crawling around. As one of the first aquatic insects to get active, these little stones are important to the steelhead angler. Other key fly patterns this time of year include green caddis, hex nymphs and larger egg patterns. As the water get’s dirtier through the season, increase the size of your pattern.

Good luck!

Ted

Spring Steelhead – Good dates for March Steelhead fishing are still available.
May Fishing – It’s not far away and it’s a great month for streamer and dry fly fishing for Trout.
2016 Dates – Now booking for the entire fishing season: trout, carp, bass, salmon and fall Steelhead.

Betsie, black stoneflies, caddis, hex nymphs, manistee, march steelhead fishing, tippy dam steelhead

1 2

Posts tagged "black stoneflies"

Mid April Fishing Report

April Fishing Report

“Winter” Fishing Report

April Steelhead Fishing Report – Manistee and Betsie Rivers

March Steelhead Fishing

Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156